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In retrospect, Yukhei really didn’t think that his plan would have escalated that far.
Don’t get him wrong though, he knows he’s handsome and a pretty good catch but apparently calling one’s significant other a chubby bunny, lovingly with all his affection, even as a joke was grounds for being broken up with in front of, well a throng of their schoolmates.
Needless to say, while Yukhei enjoys attention (the good kind, mind you) he doesn’t like being humiliated and spends the remainder of his evening drinking cheap packs of Breezer because he is a lightweight over at his older friend Jaehyun’s apartment that he cohabits with a long-time boyfriend playing Drunk Mario Cart. Yukhei still can’t believe a guy like Lee Taeyong exists. He even surprises himself sometimes that he looks like a dude straight out of a manwha.
He comforts himself in between the soft, thick blankets Jaehyun has wrapped around his tall frame, cushioning himself until he’s tiny enough to fit through the small cracks in their small couch and eat his ramyeon in peace. Comfort food. Quickly slurping his noodles, he hums happily as Taeyong, Jaehyun’s boyfriend and fellow apartment owner, strokes his hair lovingly just the way Yukhei likes to be coddled when he’s upset. It’s half past one when he decies that he needs a break from all the gross couple shit he wishes he could have right now but unfortunately cannot. He loves them to insanity but having just broken up with one not so significant other is still leaving a bitter aftertaste in his mouth.
So, here he is wearing a nice fleece sweater he is pretty sure doesn’t belong to him, mismatched shoes in the middle of late spring wandering around the slighly upper middle class neighborhood. Thankfully he still has his wallet and his dorm keys safely tucked in the back pocket of his white-washed jeans. Small miracles. He’s still half-way on his way to sobriety when he stops in front of a family owned flowershop with nice red, brick detailing and classic white, french windows he’s pretty sure looks the epitome of romantic. He places a large hand against the glass, shivering slightly at how chilly it is and peers through the window to look at the rows of neatly and elegantly placed flowers around the shelves in low contrast, pastel colors. The amount of thought and interior decorating that’s gone into this business venture has him sighing at how aesthetic it all is.
He places his cheek next to the window, admiring his reflection with the refraction of the pink roses in his hair. Slowly he moves his head side to side, admiring the makeshift flower crown on his hair. Huh, who knew pink could be his color. Yukhei decides to file that extraneous information into his brain to think about later when he’s more sober and well, less pathetic.
The tinkling of the doorchime signals Yukhei of a door opening and adjusts his line of sight to see a tall person wearing a canary yellow sweater in his peripheral vision. That’s a wonderful color, he thinks. Canary Yellow. Yellow is such a happy color. So bright. Yukhei thinks he should probably wear some sort of yellow tomorrow to celebrate his newfound single awareness.
“Excuse me?” Asks Canary Yellow Sweater in a soft voice. Yukhei hums thoughtfully.
“Do you want to come inside? Are you interested in purchasing a flower?”
Yukhei, in all his drunk-honesty in the face of a man that he thinks should be on the cover of a fashion magazine blurts out a barely coherent, “I’m Single.”
Well fuck that went well.
Canary Yellow Sweater looks at him from top to bottom, wringing two delicate hands together before he smiles. Yukhei is surprised. It’s a nice smile. Like cupcakes and hot chocolate on a cold, dreary day. “I can see that. Rough night?”
“Was it the mismatched shoes that tipped you off or my aura of single awareness?”
Canary Yellow Sweater laughs, covering his nice smile with his sweater paws. Yukhei tries to fight the urge to coo at how adorable he’s being. “Why don’t you tell me all about it inside the shop? I have a fully functional heater?”
Yukhei merely nods and lets himself be lead into the store, the door closing with a soft tinkling of the bell and a click. It smells heavenly in here. A single sniff has the chinese man smelling soy candles and fresh rain to go with the slightly overwhelming smell of flora. The fairy lights strung up above bathes the store in a soft almost, candle-like glow. Very Romantic.
Yukhei grips Canary Yellow’s hand in his (it’s soft just like everything about the clerk) and peers at his face with squinty eyes. They remain silent for a short while, slowly assessing each other with a sort of wary curiousity they both could not ignore. The man was shorter than him by about an inch with a long, pretty nose and kind eyes that seemed to twinkle alongside his friendly smile that seemed almost bashful, the fairy lights above bathing him in a soft light. “You look like a kind person Canary Man,” Yukhei says bluntly in the silence of the shop.
A smile. The nice kind, appears on the clerk’s face. “Why thank you, Single. Do you have a flower in mind?”
Yukhei shakes his head. “Never been much for flowers Canary Man. They die too soon.”
Canary Yellow Sweater hums thoughtfully. “Isn’t that the beauty of a bouquet? Live fast, die young?”
“I think that’s stupid. Why would I want to die young?” Yukhei snorts. “You’re weird Canary Man, I like it.”
“Well, you definitely don’t seem like a short-term relationship kind of guy.” Canary Yellow Sweater remarks while brushing Yukhei’s fringe out of his face with his unoccupied hand. Yukhei grips the latter’s hand tighter. He’s always liked it when people played with his hair. It soothes him. “You mind telling me what kind of relationship it is you’re looking for?”
“Does your shop sell long-lasting low maintenance relationships that won’t bankrupt me or break up with me in public?”
“Why Single, you’re in luck! I think we do in fact offer that.” Canary Yellow whispers to him secretively with a bop to the nose. Yukhei sneezes cutely. He scrunches his nose in apology, “Excuse me.”
“Follow me to the backroom, I’ve got just the thing.” Yukhei obeys, squeezing the latter’s hand just a tad bit tighter in response. The former giving him a short, brief squeeze back.
They pass through several rows and straight into the backroom where several succulents are sporting full blooms in varying colors, shapes and sizes. Yukhei wishes he was honestly sober enough to take a photo of this moment but his hands were otherwise occupied.
“Like what you see?”
“Oh definitely.” Yukhei spares him a lingering glance and smiles. The nice one he likes to give when he needs that extra confidence boost. Canary Yellow Sweater inhales sharply, cheeks coloring those high cheekbones in cherry blossom pink. He coughs before standing up straighter. “I think the perfect relationship for you right now is with a cactus.”
Canary Yellow Sweater pushes him forward while whispering behind his ears playfully, “You only need to spray it with water once a week and keep it in a place where there’s lots of sunshine. If you take good care of it, it’ll even give you a flower as proof of your love. Isn’t that perfect?”
Yukhei nods enthusiastically. “Canary Man you really are an angel. How did you know what I needed?”
“I took a leap of faith,” Canary Yellow Sweater replies with a laugh. “Interested in investing in a long-lasting, low maintenance and equally fulfilling relationship with mutual benefits?”
Yukhei grabs his wallet and places it carefully in the shorter man’s free hand. His face devastatingly serious. “Take my money.”
“Oh I’ll take it alright, but why don’t you go choose your one true love first?”
“Oh my one true love would always be sushi, Canary Man let’s not kid ourselves.” Yukhei shakes his head mournfully at the statement.
“Well, why don’t you pick your one true plant then? I’ll wait here.” Canary Yellow Sweater instructs softly. Yukhei clicks his tongue happily, throwing finger guns at the yellow-sweatered employee who returns it playfully. He laughs, his evening mood improving dramatically for the better. “Now you’re getting it.” The shorter man smiles as he untangles his hand. All of a sudden Yukhei feels the startling absence of warmth immediately and moves to put his hands in his back pockets just to keep it occupied.
He moves through the different succulents and hums before finding the perfect one. Not too tall but not too short with a nice crown of spikes on it’s head that strangely reminded him of his older roommate if only he was fatter. Nodding sagely, Yukhei decides to name his new child, Fat Kun. It’s perfect. Totally encapsulating the gift from god that is his chinese older brother.
“I’ll take Fat Kun here.” Yukhei pointing towards his one true plant.
“Fat Kun?”
Yukhei brings an index finger to his lips in a shushing motion. “Shh! Be careful! He’s really sensitive about that.”
Canary Yellow Sweater nods sagely before bending down to take Fat Kun into his lithe, fingers and moving to the check out counter at the front of the shop. Yukhei trails after him like an over-excited puppy with a new toy. “Be careful! He’s my one true plant!”
Canary Yellow Sweater smiles, the wide one that showed off all his beautiful teeth. Yukhei was growing to enjoy seeing such a mirthful expression grace the clerk’s face. “I’ll be sure to take care of your heart, Single.”
Yukhei swallows slowly as he feels his heart beginning to thump wildly inside his chest, his breath coming in a bit short. “Wow, Canary Man you’ve got game. You had me going there for a second.”
The older man merely hums a soft song as he rings up his order and gives him his change alongside his wallet. The kind soul, even wraps Fat Kun with a nice cage carrier and a small blackboard he sticks in the soil. “For when he needs to tell you what he’s feeling,” Canary Man answers. “Communication is important you know.”
Yukhei smiles at him, the best one he’s got at the moment with half a brain in sobriety and the other warming up with how adorable Fat Kun is. “Thanks Canary Man, you helped me big time.”
“We all deserve to be happy, Single. I hope he’ll make you feel less lonely hm?”
Yukhei smiles at him one last time before leaving. Only, he hits the door with his face when he tries to pull it open. Canary Man bursts out laughing, “It says push, Single.”
“I knew that.”
“Of course you did,” Canary Yellow Sweater replies. “Come back soon!”
Yukhei steps out of the shop, waving at the shorter man for the last time before he tucks Fat Kun more securely in his hands and a new cute metal water sprayer-thing in the crook of hus elbow. The hollowed out remains of his gaping heart slowly filling in with growing affection towards his new pet plant.
Hours later with Yukhei tucked carefully inside the safety of dormitory, he’ll place Fat Kun on his bedside table directly facing him and the window where he’ll get plenty of sun and sprays him with his weekly douse of water before blowing it a small air kiss and slipping under the covers.
As he closes his eyes, he unfortunately forgets to close the window properly, letting the cool spring breeze inside the room blowing a small rectangular piece of paper straight into the waste basket.
What a shame.
:::::
It’s been two weeks since he’s gotten Fat Kun and Yukhei has never been happier.
He still can’t recall for the life of him where he bought it from but the lingering feeling of “rightness” that he gets whenever he sprays it with water or sees it turn greener and healthier under his tender loving care does melt his soft, manly heart. Sometimes he’ll even get flashes of pearly white teeth, a soft-spoken voice and the color yellow (it’s turned into his favorite somehow) but the thoughts are incoherent and disorganized. It frustrates him sometimes but Yukhei knows he’s never really had that great of a memory when he’s had more than a couple of beers.
He hates leaving it alone in his dorm room. Yukhei would swear up and down that Fat Kun seemed to wilt without his company to the consternation of his roomate Big Kun who can’t seem to understand that his beloved cactus is special and would thus require extra tender, loving care and attention thank you very much. It is with that thought, Yukhei starts to bring the small, but lovingly adorable cactus with him everywhere.
By this he literally means everwhere.
Yuhei brings him whenever he attends class in a little makeshift leather carrier bag and makes sure to take the seat next to the window just so Fat Kun could have a little extra sunlight to keep him happy. Fat Kun is literally there silently supporting him as the tall boy struggles through several algebra problem sets. It sits there sliently as Yukhei works out at the gym, daring anyone to get closer to the tall boy currently bench pressing a hundred and sixty with all the grace of a lion.
Fat Kun even keeps a sort of quiet vigilance devoid of judgement as Yukhei drinks strawberry milkshakes instead of the protein shake currently sitting inside his small refrigerator while they watch episodes of While You Were Sleeping in companionable silence at the latter’s dormitory.
Fat Kun is arguably Yukhei’s most emotionally rewarding, low maintenance, mutually satisfying relationship to date.
Life is has never been better.
::::
Just two days after his final exams, once again Yukhei finds himself sitting in a family owned coffee shop, situated right next to the window with plenty of natural sunlight filtering through the glass window. Fat Kun is nestled cozily inside his mini leather bag carrier basking in the warm sunlight when Yukhei sees the familiar mop of Gray hair and that bright, Canary Yellow Sweater standing right in front of the window waving at him.
Yukhei rubs his eyes casually as he presses his face right in front of the latter and grins. He waves back just as enthusiastically before motioning him to sit next to him. Canary Yellow Sweater chuckles, covering his mouth behind those adorable sweater paws before nodding in understanding. Yukhei moves to sit down on the couch, hastily running his hands through the uncombed strands of his hair in a last ditch effort to look somewhat decent. “Wish me luck,” he says quietly to his green friend. In the background, Fat Kun preens at this exciting new development.
Canary Yellow Sweater sits down directly in front of him greeting him with a soft spoken, “hello” that Yukhei returns just as enthusiastically.
“I see Fat Kun is doing well,” Canary Yellow Sweater comments. “He seems healthier and happier under your care.”
Yukhei nods enthusiastically. “I followed the instructions you left on the blackboard. I spray him with water once a week, give him plenty of sunlight and I’ve even started to play music to help him grow. I think Fat Kun really likes piano instrumentals though.”
Canary Yellow Sweater smiles brightly as he points to the small bud atop the young cactus’ head, “I’m happy that your long-lasting, low-maintenance relationship is blooming well.”
“I’ve been meaning to go back and thank you but I couldn’t remember where your store was located. I went there mostly drunk a few months back and when I tried to look for it sober I just couldn’t find it.” Yukhei explains, scratching the strands at the back of his head softly. He bites his lips. “I hope I didn’t cause you too much trouble.”
The gray haired man shakes his head and smiles. “You were very entertaining, Single. You entering the shop was one of the highlights of my evening.”
“Meeting you was mine.”
He sees the tell-tale sign of a rose colored blush forming on the apples of Canary Yellow Sweaters cheeks like a slowly blossoming in the face of the sun. “Why Single, I think you’re the one who has game right now.”
Yukhei laughs loudly as he wipes his sweaty palms in soothing forward-backward motions on his jeans. “I think I’m just honest.”
“That you are.”
“Hey, I never got to ask you your name Canary Man.” Yukhei asks quietly gazing at the handsome man across him in barely concealed interest. “My name’s Yukhei.” He motions to the cactus lovingly with his free hand. “I think you’ve already met Fat Kun.”
“Indeed I have.” Canary Yellow Sweater responds quietly. He leans closer as if to divulge a secret. Yukhei leans forward again to catch his name. “My name is Jungwoo.”
Yukhei grins, confidently bowing respectfully and offering a friendly handshake. “Nice to meet you Jungwoo. Would it be too forward of me to ask if you’d like to have dinner with me?”
Jungwoo bows as well, returning the handshake, smiling secretively when the former wouldn’t let go of his hand. “Shouldn’t I feel angry that it’s you who didn’t call me back? You kept me waiting after all.”
Confused, Yukhei apologizes profusely and asks if Jungwoo had left him a number and reiterated his less than sober appearance at the time.
Taking a sip of water, Jungwoo replies coolly, “I’m sure I left a sticky note with my name on it on the small blackboard when I first gave Fat Kun to you.”
“Would you believe me if I said I uh...probably lost it?”
“How surprisingly convenient.”
“Does this mean that it’s a no?” Yukhei asks sheepishly, nervously scratching the back of his head. “I’d really like to take you out for dinner and well, you could even say its an apology dinner.”
Jungwoo smiles and flicks him soundly in the forehead. Yukhei grunts in pain but otherwise remains silent. “While I’d love to say no...I don’t think I should lie about how I really feel should I? Communication is important you know.”
Yukhei laughs despite the blooming pain in his forehead from Jungwoo’s surprise flick. “Would it make you feel better if I said it was my treat?”
“Oh, most definitely. I never say no to a free meal!”
“Well, I think we should get out of here now don’t you think? Do you like Japanese or Italian?” Yukhei asks as he stands up and collects his things, carefully placing them inside his backpack. Jungwoo assists him in securing Fat Kun into his makeshift leather bag holster before offering it up to the taller boy. “Why don’t we go out and eat sushi? I remember you saying it was your favorite.”
Yukhei smiles as Jungwoo takes his outstretched hand in his. “I’m surprised you remember.”
“Well, I do think at least one of us needs to have the better memory,” Jungwoo quips sassily as they walk down the street hand in hand against the cold chill of late March.
Fat Kun watches them quietly in companionable silence, sighing happily as both of it’s favorite humans have found each other again despite the odds of them meeting once more had been decidedly slim. Hopefully it thinks, they wouldn’t mind taking joint ownership of it in the future but well, it’s always been a patient succulent even in the presence of these two bumbling fools slowly falling in love.